Crime

Dear Columbia, I ain’t usually the type to write letters to the paper, but something’s been bothering me and I know I ain’t the only one feeling this way. What’s going on with our town? Seems like every time you turn around there’s another police cruiser flying down the street, another fight, another arrest, another story that makes you shake your head. A lot of us are starting to feel like Columbia ain’t the same town it used to be. I’m gonna be honest. Me and a lot of other folks are scared to come out at night anymore. Ten years ago people sat on their porches, walked to the store, rode bikes around town, and didn’t think much about it. Now people are looking over their shoulder. Parents are worried about their kids. Older folks don’t want to go out after dark. That’s not how it should be. And before somebody starts saying this is all somebody else’s fault, let’s cut that nonsense right now. This ain’t a Jerry Springer episode where everybody comes out screaming at each other and pointing fingers. The police got a tough job. Borough Council has a tough job. But the truth is they can’t do it all by themselves. It also feels like there just ain’t enough police out there anymore. Maybe there is, maybe there ain’t, but a lot of us don’t see them around like we used to, and that makes people nervous. What I don’t understand is why we ain’t talking more about what we can do as a community. Why don’t we have a real Neighborhood Watch? Why don’t neighbors get together once a month and talk about what’s happening on their blocks? Why don’t we have more town meetings about safety? Why don’t we work with the police instead of waiting for them to fix everything? I know some people are gonna say, “That’s not my job.” Well whose job is it? This is our town. We all complain on Facebook when something bad happens, but maybe it’s time to put some of that energy into actually helping make things better. Look out for your neighbor. Keep an eye on your street. Report stuff when you see it. Get to know the people living around you. The police can’t be on every corner, but residents are already there. I love Columbia. I love this old river town. I love the history, the people, and the fact that most of us would still help a stranger if they needed it. That’s why it hurts seeing folks afraid in their own neighborhoods. We shouldn’t have to wonder if it’s safe to walk downtown at night. We shouldn’t have to worry every time our kids leave the house. And we sure as heck shouldn’t be getting used to violence. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe things ain’t as bad as they feel. But judging by the conversations I’ve been hearing all over town, I don’t think I’m alone. So let’s quit arguing about who’s to blame and start talking about what we can do. Because if we don’t take our town back, who will? Sincerely, A Concerned Columbia Resident Columbia, PA